Fused electric switches, as currently available, are rated electrically making and breaking connections within an electric circuit. A line stab connector and a load stab connector are opposedly arranged between a rotary driven pair of contact blades driven by an overcenter spring between open and closed positions. One example of an efficient fused electric switch is found within U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,920, entitled "Manually Operated Rotary Switch In Combination Load Contact-Fuse Therefore" and earlier U.S. Pat. No. 3,632,935, entitled "Double Blade Rotor Switch With Blades Insertable Into Rotatable Shaft", describes the arrangement of the contact blades within the rotor-operator. Both of the aforementioned patents are incorporated herein for reference purposes.
When state-of-the-art fused switches are employed within circuits above a nominal rating, arcing often occurs when the switch is rotated from its "OFF" to its "ON" position with the load terminals energized. A pair of opposing arc chutes facing the contact blades, ensures that the arc will be rapidly extinguished without damaging the contact material or overheating the switch interior. When an attempt is made to increase the switch rating, by correspondingly increasing the current-carrying switch components, it is found that the arc which occurs when the contact blades are rotated between their "closed" and "open" positions remains intense not withstanding the increased size of the current-carrying components.
One purpose of the instant invention is to provide a fused electric switch having increased ampere rating without damaging the switch components when the contact blades are rotated between their "closed" and "open" positions.